よそにのみまつははかなき住の江の
ゆきてさへこそ見まくほしけれ
ゆきてさへこそ見まくほしけれ
- Roma-ji
-
Yoso ni nomi matsu wa hakanaki Suminoe no yukite sae koso mimaku hoshikere
- English Translation
-
Only from afar
to wait is a hollow thing,
like Suminoe's pines—
I would even go myself,
so much do I long to see you
- Meaning
- To wait only from afar, like the pines of Suminoe, is hollow; I long to see you so much that I would even go to you myself.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Love Poems II 653
Headnote: "Sent to the lady of the wardrobe, mother of Prince Nagaakira, while she was at her family home."
The poet says that merely waiting from afar is hollow, like the pines of Suminoe, and that he would rather go himself to see her. Missing the lady who has withdrawn to her family home, he conveys a longing so strong that he would go to her himself.
According to the headnote, it was sent to the lady of the wardrobe who was mother of Prince Nagaakira, while she was staying at her family home. 638 and 672 in this book also sing of Suminoe.
The poet, called "the imperial poem of Engi," is Emperor Daigo. Engi was the era name of his reign, and "gyosei" refers to a poem composed by an emperor. A son of Emperor Uda, he is also known for ordering the compilation of the Kokin Wakashū.
The first line, "Yoso ni nomi," means "only from afar."
In the second line, "matsu" is a pivot word joining "matsu," to wait, and the "matsu," pines, of Suminoe in the third line: "to wait is hollow." The poem pauses here.
The third line, "Suminoe no," means "of Suminoe," a poetic place in Settsu famed for its pines.
The fourth line, "yukite sae koso," means "even by going myself," with "koso" an emphatic particle.
The last line, "mimaku hoshikere," means "I long to see you," closing in the perfective in answer to "koso" in the fourth line, a kakarimusubi pattern.
- Author
- Emperor Daigo
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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